


Sixteen years

by LooIsHere



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cute, Happy Ending, M/M, Soul Bond, Soul mate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 15:58:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7178660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LooIsHere/pseuds/LooIsHere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The first step, my son, which one makes in the world, is the one on which depends the rest of our days." Voltaire</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sixteen years

**Author's Note:**

> I may have arranged a few things for it to be easier to write. But just a few !  
> I hope you'll enjoy it, may the Canadian GP be with you (this means absolutely nothing.)  
> Feel fre to point out every mistake, and please enjoy !

"Mooooom !" An angry, sniffing Nico appeared in the door frame, dragging his feet all the way across the room to reach a reading Sina.

"What is it Nico ?"

"It's the other boy !" He pouted, red faced with his crying when she took his face in her hands.

"Who ?"

"That boy ! The one with me, you met his father." His blue eyes were still wet.

"Lewis ?"

"Yes !" That earned her another sob.

"What happened with Lewis ?" She stroked his hair gently.

"He hurt me !"

"What did he do ?" She frowned, concerned. "Where does it hurt ?"

"I don't know !"

"Nico, stop crying. Tell me where it hurts."

The little blonde pointed his head.

"Your head hurts ?" Nico nodded. "A lot ?" He shook his head this time. "Okay." She brought him closer and hugged him before putting a soft kiss on his forehead. "Everything's okay." She whispered while rubbing her hands on his back and arms before she straightened a bit. "You're a big boy now, Nico. You are twelve. Big boys like you don't cry when they hurt a tiny bit, you know ? This is why boys are strong, like daddy. Do you want to be strong like daddy ?"

"Yes." Nico sniffed a last time, Sina wiping the last traces of tears on his cheeks.

"Then stop crying, alright ? Next time he hurts you, don't cry, and he will see that you are a strong boy and he won't hurt you any more, okay ?"

The little boy nodded vigorously and grinned back weakly to his mother's bright smile.

"See ?" She said. "You are smiling. You are already stronger."

Nico laughed and turned around after a last hug, going back to where he came from.

 

* * *

 

 

"Dad." Nico pulled the chair in front of Keke's and sat down with a huff.

"Yes, Nico ?" He raised his eyes from the newspaper he had been reading.

"It's this guy again." He muttered, running a hand through his damp hair before he unzipped a bit his karting overalls.

"Lewis ?"

"Yeah."

"What happened ? Did you two fight again ?"

"No, we don't fight. We're friends."

"Friends ?" Keke raised an eyebrow, amused. "Every time you talk about him you're complaining. That's not what I call 'friendship'."

"Dad, you know that's not true."

"Tell me then, what's wrong with Lewis ?"

"It's just that  don't understand. Every time he speaks to me or touches me, or just, you know, every time we race against each other, my chest hurts."

"Every time ?"

"Yeah."

"Is he better than you ?"

"Sometimes. Why ?"

"Don't you think it could just be jealousy ?" Keke caught sight of his wife at the door, behind their son.

"What ?" Nico chuckled slightly. "No. I'm not jealous of him. Why would I be ? He's my friend."

"Are you sure ? It's okay if you are, you know."

"Yeah, I know, but.. No. I'm not jealous of Lewis."

"Then I'm afraid I don't know what it is, Nico, I'm sorry."

"Okay." He sighed and smiled a bit. "Thank you Dad." With that, he rose, just in time to see Sina entre while he left for a shower.

"Keke." Sina took her son's place in front of her husband.

"Yes, darling ?"

"I listened to what Nico said."

"I noticed."

"I have an idea on what he is talking about, and I think you have one too."

The Finn said nothing, only staring into his wife's knowing eyes. They both knew what it was.

"Why did you lie to him ?" She asked after a silence.

"He's seventeen, Sina. He's a bit young to be informed about that, don't you think ?"

"But he's feeling it since he's twelve."

"I know." He sighed, hesitant. "But I think it's still too early for this; he shouldn't have met him so young. And I'm not sure he wants to hear that his good friend is actually his soul mate."

"But you know he will hurt more and more with time."

"I'm aware of that, yes, yet we should let it be."

"What if he hurts too much ?"

"I promise he won't." He took her hand on the table, wrapping it in his own. "If he does, we'll tell him, alright ?" Sina nodded.

 

On his side, Nico closed his eyes under the hot water, considering what his father had said.  What if he was right and it really was jealousy ? He thought about what Lewis had that he didn't. Lewis had a girlfriend, and he didn't. He also had more wins than Nico. Maybe he was really handsome while Nico wasn't _that_ good looking ? Lewis had a little brother too, for what he knew. Nico was an only child. And maybe Lewis had more friends ?

He sighed. He didn't want to be jealous of him, he almost was his best friend. What friend would he be if he was jealous of him ? And it made no sense: Nico had never been jealous or envious of anyone, there was no reason for such a change in him. He didn't understand.

 

* * *

 

 

"Happy birthday !"

Lewis slapped Nico on the back with a huge grin. The touch made the blonde tense slightly, his own smile vaguely fading. The pain had been here since his saw him park, and it only blossomed further at the gesture, everywhere -his head, his stomach, his chest.

"Thank you so much Lewis !" He had to focus on every move he made to hide the ache. Of course, he was more than happy to see Lewis, he knew it, but the pain was always here, no matter what. He still didn't understand.

"Now that you're finally twenty, you're old too."

"That doesn't make me old !"

"Then I'm not old either !" The Brit laughed, hugging his best friend. He still felt how it made him cringe slightly though. He didn't know why he cringed, but he secretly hoped that it wasn't because Nico knew how much in pain he was. Every move killed him when he was with Nico, and he didn't know why. At first he had thought it was because they met after every race and training session, because of the stiffness in his muscles, but he noticed it always slowly faded away when he wasn't with him anymore.

"You know what ?" He said, trying to forget about it. "Let me kiss you on the cheeks, French-style ! You're twenty, that's something !"

Lewis laid his hands on Nico's shoulders and kissed his cheeks with a small laugh. The blonde almost jumped, forced a chuckle out and excused himself. He walked down the corridor and hurried as soon as he exited Lewis' field of vision. He entered the bathroom and locked the door behind him, a muffled sob escaping him. He collapsed on the floor, clutching his chest with pained, stifled moans. He saw a tear crash on the floor between his legs through blurry eyes and raised a hand, wiping his wet cheek. He was.. Crying in pain ? Nothing made sense. His mind drowned in happiness yet his whole body screamed with anguish -especially his heart.

"Why..?" He sobbed softly, tears streaming down his cheeks, unable to stop them. "Why does it hurt so much..?" He didn't understand.

 

Nico had left so suddenly that Lewis had stayed where he was in surprise. And in relief. Now that he wasn't in sight anymore, everything felt better. Nico's absence soothed his pain, and Lewis was horrified by it. Maybe they needed to disappear from each other's life for some time. Maybe forever. The thought brought sadness to Lewis. He hurt when he was near him, that was true, but his mind was in peace. He sighed heavily. It was so complicated.  He turned around when he faintly heard a lock turn. Nico walked back to him, a happy smile on his face. Too happy to be genuine. Lewis knew it.

"Everything's okay ?" His fingertips started to prickle again, his ears started to ring slightly as a forewarning of the pain coming back. He swallowed hard.

"Yeah, sorry. I drank a lot of water during all the day, so.." Nico wanted to scream. He contained a yelp as everything came back all at once. Lewis didn't seem to notice anything. Good.

"Well, I huh.. I have to go. I'd like to spend more time with you since it's your birthday, but I forgot I had some.. Things to do. So, you know.."

Nico's eyes were slightly redder than before. Barely anything had changed, but everything screamed at him that he had been crying. He knew it, he could almost feel it.

"I see. I have things to do too anyway, so that's rather convenient, actually."

"Happy birthday again, Nico." Lewis started to raise his arms but finally just patted his shoulder again.

The blonde smiled and thanked him again, then watched him leave, relieved. His pain would be gone soon. He fell heavily on the couch and sighed. It was already subsiding, but that left him with a feeling of guilt. What kind of friend was he to feel relieved and happy when Lewis wasn't here ? His best friend, moreover.

 

This night, Nico called his mother from London.

"Hello ?"

"Hi Mom."

"How are you doing ?"

"I'm fine Mom, thank you." He breathed deeply. He had thought about making that call for at least two hours before finally deciding he would do it. "I needed to ask you something."

"Are you okay, Nico ? You sound worried." She turned to Keke, who was watching her.

"Yes, everything's good. It's just that there's something I'd like to talk to you because I don't understand, so.. I thought that maybe you or Dad knew what to do."

"Of course, love. Tell me."

"You know, my best friend ?"

"Lewis ?" She threw a worried look at her husband.

"Yes."

"What's wrong with him ?"

"I don't know.. You both know I've known him for a long time, now. I really like him, he's the only friend I put my trust in."

"Yes, we know that, Nico."

"Well, I don't understand what is happening with him. Whenever I see him I just feel really bad. Like, everything in me hurts. As if I've been stabbed."

"Did he let you down ?"

"No. No, I told you, we really get on well. This is why I don't get it. He's just like my brother, yet it hurts me to see him ? And everything goes back to  normal when he leaves. Or just leaves my sight, actually."

"I see."

"Do you think I kind of.. Hate him, but don't know about it ?" He didn't want to tell her that he had cried earlier.

"No.." She looked at Keke, who shook his head slowly."I don't think you hate him." She mouthed a 'help me' to him, and he mouthed back a 'don't tell him'.  "You know," she sighed, "maybe you're just very tired with your racing season. It's a lot of pressure, and maybe you're taking it out on him unconsciously."

"I don't know. I mean, it _really_ hurts, Mom. Physically."

"I know, love. I don't know what it could be then, I'm sorry, Nico."

"Could you ask Dad, please ?"

"Yes." He heard her call him.

"Yes, Nico ?" A rough voice said.

"Hey Dad. Did Mom tell you ?"

"No, but I guessed it was about the same thing that you told me a few years ago."

"Yeah. Do you know what I can do about it ?"

"There's nothing to do about it, Nico."

"What ? What do you mean ? Am I going to hurt every time I see Lewis for the rest of my life ?"

"Maybe. Listen, do you have a girlfriend ?"

"No."

"That's good. The pain is here because you need to find someone."

"What ?" Nico said again. "I need to have a girlfriend for my pain to be gone ? This makes no sense, Dad."

"It's not necessarily  a girlfriend that you need. Now, do you believe in soul mates ?"

"Not really, why ?"

"Because you need to find your soul mate. It is the only way for the pain to cease."

"What ? I'm not sure I get it."

"There's nothing to understand, son. Just keep in mind that your soul mate will make the pain disappear."

"But how is it related to Lewis ?" Nico was confused. And he wasn't into those 'soul mate' things.

"I don't know, Nico."

"I don't even believe in soul mates."

"Yes, this I know, but I also know that Lewis is dear to you, you don't want to be away from him, do you ?"

"I don't."

They spoke some more and Nico soon hung up. Everything his father had said left him confused. He had had girlfriends before. What if he met his soul mate already but missed her ? He sighed. There was nothing he could do anyway, as he didn't have any better explanation.

 

* * *

 

 

They saw each other less and less. Nico even started to avoid him, and Lewis knew it. The only thing that had changed was the fact that Lewis now knew the cause of his pain. He had read it somewhere, a few years before that. Nico was his soul mate. But maybe Nico himself didn't know, or maybe that was why he avoided him now. Lewis could see him in the arms of a new girl almost every other month. Could his soulbond be unilateral ? Because it felt like the blonde was desperately looking for the love of his life without feeling any of the scorching hot pain Lewis felt. He hated hurting so much when he saw him, but he hated even more being far from him. He wanted to tell him but didn't know how. Maybe he had already been aware when they were twenty and that was why he had cried. If Nico didn't want to see him anymore, he was powerless.

 

* * *

 

 

Teammates. They became teammates. Nico couldn't bear it. Every day at the office was torture. Meetings, training, practice, simulator, press conference, advertisement, signing session, meet-and-greet, race. He saw him all the time and the pain seemed more insufferable with every day that passed. He started to hate him. He had tried to stay his best friend, but it just couldn't work anymore. He had dated numerous girls, but none soothed his pain. It went away every time, but Nico feared every new office day. He called home one night after having had some drinks with friends.

"Nico ?" Came Sina's tired voice. "It's two, are you okay ?"

"I'm sorry Mom." His voice cracked. "I'm okay. I think I am..?" His words were slightly slurred.

"Something happened ?"

"No," he sniffed, " nothing happened Mom. Absolutely nothing." He started sobbing.

"Oh God Nico. Where are you ? Are you safe ?"

"Nothing." He told her again. "Nothing.  It doesn't work Mom." He cried through the phone.

"What do you mean ?"

"The pain's still here. It didn't leave." Nico could feel the tears running down his cheeks. "It'll never leave, Mom !"

"I swear it'll leave, Nico. I swear to God it will."

"No." He paused, sobbing too hard to speak. Sina's heart broke. "I tried. I dated girls, but none of 'em helped me. But it gets stronger every day." He paused again and sniffed. "It doesn't work. Will I hurt all my life ?"

"No, Nico." She had to fight not to cry.

"Do I have to quit Formula One for it to stop ? Do I have to fucking give up on my dream ?" Nico sounded inconsolable.

"Listen to me Nico." Her voice shook slightly. "Please listen. Your father told you to find your soul mate. But did you try something else ? Did you try to.." She didn't really had the right to tell him. She sighed. She couldn't let him suffer like that anymore. "Did you try dating Lewis ?"

"No." He sniffed again. "He's a guy."

"I know he is."

"I don't want to date him. I'm not into men. And he's my friend."

"You should c.."

"I hate him." He cut her. "I don't wanna see him anymore. I just want him to go to hell and the pain to stop."

"Nico.."

"Mom.." He started crying again. "It hurts so bad."

She winced. She would have the time to talk about Lewis later, but for now she couldn't just hear him and say nothing to his pained moans.

"I know Nico. I know, love. Look, go to bed, I'll be with you until you fall asleep."

"But I.."

"You can cry. I'm your mom, I'm here to listen to you, your cries and complaints."

"Mom.."

"Just go to bed, love. I'll be right here, don't worry"

Sina listened to her son sobbing again and again until he gradually stopped and eventually fell asleep. When she was sure he wasn't awake anymore, she hung up and put her phone back on her bedside table, soon turning on her side in order to find sleep again. She still hadn't closed an eye when Keke woke up around eight. He greeted her and immediately saw that something was wrong, so he asked her about it.

"Nico called."

"What did he want ?"

"He was a bit tipsy I think. And he was crying."

"Why ?"

"Because he hurts too much. He told me he couldn't bear it anymore, that each day was worse than the day before."

"What did you tell him ?"

"I told him that he had to do what you said the last time, and that he didn't have to worry about it, that it would go."

"Is that it ?"

"He also said that nothing worked. So I asked him if he had considered dating Lewis."

"And ?"

"He just told me that he wasn't into men and that he didn't want to see him anymore."

"But they are teammates. He's going to see him every day for a long period of time."

"Yes, I know." She sighed, distressed. "I know.."

"Maybe Lewis knows. He might tell him or do something one day or the other."

"If he knew he would have already done something. He might be in terrible pain too."

Keke sighed. There was nothing to do. Even if they told him Lewis was his soul mate, they weren't assured that he would believe them.

 

* * *

 

 

Nico felt his stomach contract before he even opened the door. Lewis was inside, he could sense it. He braced himself and entered, sitting next to his race engineer while all the pain flooded back in him. He had thought that with time he would have grown numb, but he didn't. He still felt his skin tingle before everything started to hurt. He closed his eyes and rested his elbows on the table, massaging his temples. Out of everything, the headache was the worst. He kind of became accustomed to the pain in his stomach and he had learnt to push back the tears the heartache brought.

Every time he laid his eyes on his teammate across the table, he felt like being stabbed in the back. At some point, his winces alerted his engineer, who discreetly pushed him with his elbow.

"Nico," he whispered, "are you okay ?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "just a bad headache."

"Do you want to take a break ?"

He shook his head. "No it's okay, thank you."

The meeting went on and Nico gritted his teeth through it. He wasn't sure about how much time he would be able to support this, not to forget that he now couldn't stand Lewis anymore. He had started to hate him more and more. What his mother had told him the night he was drunk, two years from then, had been forgotten the night after.

"Nico."

His head pounded and he didn't even looked at Lewis when he answered.

"Don't talk to me."

"Nico please. Listen to what I have to say."

"I don't want to have anything to do with you from now on."

The blonde walked quickly to the taxi that was waiting for him. He just wanted Lewis  to leave him alone. He was the cause of his troubles. Yes, he had been his best friend, but that time was over. Now he was better than him, he had everything he wanted, and most of all he didn't have to deal with the ache. Everything was easier for Lewis. He was the blue-eyed boy of the team, the favourite model of prestigious brands, the driver every Mercedes fans preferred.  He even was in a relationship with one of the most famous women in the world and went every summer in Barbados to party with Rihanna.

He snorted. He wasn't jealous, not at all. He was very well aware that fame and fortune weren't eternal, but everything made him hate him more. Every move he made, every word he said. He no longer wanted to be his friend. He had no reason to be his friend. Seeing Lewis made him writhe in pain. He was but a burden.  Nico didn't notice the tears ever so slowly rolling down his face until he looked at his phone, his vision blurred. Lewis was ruining his life but he couldn't live without him.

 

* * *

 

 

When he found Vivian, Nico thought she was the one. His life was alright again. She made him feel safe and happy, or so it seemed. He thought she was the one who could put an end to his misery. When he saw Lewis the next time, he discovered he was mistaken. The peace he had felt with her only made the hurt harder to bear. He kept on avoiding Lewis like he had always done for the past couple of years now, but he knew very well that he had to work with him all the day, three days a week, every other week when he was lucky, every week when he wasn't. There was no end to his ordeal.

He considered giving up on Formula One.  Everything led him to think that the only way to soothe his mind was to stay far from Lewis. But the Brit proved him wrong again one day at a press conference. Nico wasn't really here, he was hearing what was being said, focused on trying to numb his pain, only giving short answers. Thinking about resigning. Until Lewis spoke.

"He's not my friend." He chuckled.

Nico froze. For a second, he thought he had heard wrong. Then he saw the visibly shocked face of the journalist who just sat back down. He was astonished. And now the pain in his heart changed. He felt betrayed. He knew he had no right to feel this way after what he had told him, but he still did. How could he be so rude ?

The conference soon got to an end and Nico didn't waste any time to disappear from the room, avoiding the crowd. He would wait for Lewis. They still had to change before leaving the track for the night, and he was decided to have a quick word with him. Lewis seemed surprised to see him in front of his door.

"Nico ?" He slowly stopped. "What are you doing here ?"

"You're such a cunt."

"Sorry ?" Lewis frowned. Was he here to insult him ?

"Not you friend ? That's how you see me ?"

"I'm sorry ?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you serious Nico ? You throw me out of your life and now you're upset for this ?"

"I.."

"You avoid me for God knows how much time, you tell me that you don't want to have anything to do with me, and now, now you're upset because I said you weren't my friend ?"

"You don't understand, how could you anyway ? You're too selfish, you've always been. All you see is you, you, you. Do you know what you do to me ? You're an asshole. I've been suffering for years, for fifteen fucking years because of you Lewis ! Every time I see you I'm fucking tearing apart from the inside ! You can't even imagine how much it hurts right now as we speak." He paused as his voice cracked. "Yet I'm not even your friend." Lewis saw the betrayal Nico felt.

"You're right. You're not my friend." _You are my soul mate_. He understood what Nico was going through, for he ached as much as him, yearned for Nico as much as Nico did for him. It killed him to see that hatred in his wonderful and usually so friendly blue eyes.

"Nico. Listen to me. I have something important to tell you."

"I don't care. If I'm not your friend, then you're not mine either."

The blonde tsked and walked towards the exit, before Lewis grabbed his arm. Nico turned around quickly to free himself but was pushed against the wall instead, his other wrist soon trapped into Lewis' free hand.

"Let go." He hissed.

"Listen to me." They were merely centimetres away from each other.

"I won't listen to any of yo.." He was cut by Lewis' mouth forcefully pressing against his. His surprised moan was muffled by the lips on his and he started to squirm again as the Brit separated from him.

"What do you think you are doing ?" His angry tone carried a stronger German accent that Lewis loved.

"Nico. Stop."

"Let me go Lewis."

So Lewis kissed him again and a pleasant shudder ran down his spine. Finally. His fingertips prickled, his muscles lost their stiffness, his mind cleared.  Finally. The pain was disappearing. This time, when he moved back, Nico was still. His blue eyes were wide open and they sought an answer in his chocolate ones. He was breathless. He blinked a few times, still not used to what he was feeling. The pain was recessing. His heart still throbbed in his chest, but it wasn't due to pain nor hatred.

"Lewis.." His throat closed.

"I'm right here." The gaped-tooth smile was back. Gentle and happy.

"It's.. All pain is gone." Lewis raised a hand and put it on Nico's cheek, softly rubbing it.

"Do you know why ?"

"You are my soul mate." It almost sounded like a question.

"I am." Nico wrapped his arms around Lewis' waist, still staring deeply into his eyes.

"..You knew."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me anything ?"

"I doubt you'd have believed me."

"You may be right."

Lewis' smile grew larger and he kissed him again before resting his forehead on his. He took a step back when Nico shifted and offered him his hand to take instead, which Nico took.

"How long ?"

"A few years, maybe.."

"Lewis."

"Since we're twenty-four."

A shocked wince deformed Nico's features.

"Lewis that's almost five years."

"I'm sorry. I suffered those five years too. I know how hard it was. I really am sorry, Nico."

"When did it start to hurt ?"

"Pretty early, I must admit. Thirteen or fourteen, maybe."

"How did you do to take it all ? I couldn't support it anymore."

"I grinned and bore it. I couldn't do anything else. I sometimes wished you weren't my best friend."

Nico smiled. He felt better than he had ever felt for the past two years.

"You know you can't leave me now, don't you ?"

"Can't I ?" He raised an eyebrow at Lewis.

"No. This is how it works. When you meet your soul mate, it hurts as long as you are not.. romantically involved. But then, it is the exact opposite. If we happen to be far from each other for too long, then it will hurt."

"We're lucky to have the same job then, don't you think ?" A chuckle escaped Nico.

"Yeah. But you know how often I travel. I might need to ask you to come with me sometimes, for I don't want to be subjected to this again."

"I don't care. You are my soul mate. I'll follow you everywhere if I have to."

Lewis cupped his face and kissed him passionately, letting go only to catch some air. "Then I hope you have nothing planned for summer break ?" He said with a sly grin.

 

* * *

 

 

"Sina, could you answer the phone ? I'm a bit busy right now."

"Sure." She rose from the couch and grabbed the home phone, picking up. "Hello ?"

"Hi Mom."

"Nico." She answered with a smile. "How are you doing ?"

"Very good, thank you. How are you two doing ?"

"Well, fine, as always. We're an old couple, you know." She heard him chuckle.

"I have something to tell you."

"Yes ?" She patiently waited, hearing him telling someone to stop.

"I found my soul mate, Mom."

"Yes ?" Warmth spread in her. Their son was finally happy.

"You already know who I'm talking about, right ?"

"Yes."

"Dad knows too ?"

"He does."

"Why didn't you tell me it was Lewis ?"

"You were twelve when it first happened, love. You were a bit too young for this."

"How about later ?"

"When you were seventeen ? You would have told us that it was a prank. Imagine it, Nico. What if we had told you that your heartache came from your best friend, because he was actually your soul mate ?"

"Yeah, I understand."

"I'm so glad that you discovered it, love."

 

"I'm glad I did too."

"Do you want to talk to your dad ?"

"No, not yet. I wanted to ask something first."

"Yes ?"

"Did you have to go through all of this too ?"

"No, I didn't. Usually, we meet our soul mates between the age of twenty and thirty. But you met him way earlier. When you're at least twenty, you understand that this is not normal and that there is something to do about it. But you were twelve. You couldn't even imagine it was related to love, and worst for a little boy, to another boy."

"I see."

"I'm sorry you had to go through all this, Nico."

"No, it's okay Mom. Now I'm fine."

"I'm happy to hear that, love, I really am."

"Thank you Mom. Can I speak to Dad too ?"

"Yes, wait a minute."

Nico agreed and shuddered when Lewis put a few kisses on his neck and shoulders, his hands gently stroking his thighs. He giggled and told him to stop again.

"Yes Nico ?"

"Dad," he said, "I found my soul mate."

"I know Nico. I am happy. You're not in pain anymore, are you ?"

"No, I'm not."

"See. I told you. How is Lewis doing ?"

"Fine too. He's right here, being annoying as he always is."

"This is good." He smiled, and Nico heard the smile in his voice. "I wish you happiness, son."

"I'm happy. I truly am."

They talked some more before Keke told him he had to hang up, so Nico told him that he loved them before ending the conversation. He put his phone on his bedside table and turned, pushing Lewis so he rested on his back, Nico climbing on top of him.

"You just can't keep your hands to yourself, can you ?"

"When you're happy, I'm happy too."

"I don't think we're talking about the same happiness, am I wrong ?" Lewis bit his lip and shook his head. Nico kissed him briefly and sighed. "They're glad I found you."

"I don't doubt it. I'm glad I found you too."

They smiled to each other before Lewis pushed him and inverted their positions. "Now let me be happy in my own way." He kissed him deeply and lost himself in his beautiful eyes when he broke the kiss. "I love you, Nico."

"I love you too, Lewis."

 


End file.
